


In the Present: Catching Up

by alley_oops, jennandanica



Series: Any Time, Any Place [5]
Category: Actor RPF, True Blood RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-04-08
Packaged: 2018-03-21 21:45:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3705609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alley_oops/pseuds/alley_oops, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennandanica/pseuds/jennandanica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In 1994, a twenty-year-old Alex meets a fourteen-year-old Luke in the small town of Aberbargoed, Wales. In this chapter, after reconnecting -- 15 years later -- Luke shows Alex what he's missed.</p><p><b>Warnings:</b> none - however, the first two parts contained warnings for 'consensual' (emotionally if not legally) underage (14/20) and fudging of ages (6 years instead of a rl!3)</p><p>
  <i>"And now that you're in movies, which do you like better?" Alex asks, watching Luke's face. Thinking that he could never get tired of looking at him.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"I don't know," Luke answers truthfully with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I haven't been doing this long enough." He thinks about it for another second. "A lot of what I like is getting to do something so different from what I've been doing, but if you told me I wouldn't be on stage or get to sing again, I don't know." He laughs. "Ask me again in a couple of years."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Present: Catching Up

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone familiar with the [RPG Citadel](http://citadel.dreamwidth.org/read), this is NOT backstory for our pups in the game. In Citadel, Alex and Luke are only 3 years apart in age and they didn't meet until they were in their 30s. But Sally and I are convinced our boys would fall for each other in any universe, in any incarnation, and we wondered what would have happened if a younger Alex had met an even younger Luke before Luke got out of the small town he was raised in.

Alex awakes to an empty bed, but the loft's open airiness tells him Luke is downstairs without even having to take a look. So he grins and helps himself to a quick shower, borrowing Luke's toothbrush – seriously, he's planning on licking his lover's ass later, so does it really fucking matter if they swap some spit this way first? He pulls on his boxer-briefs from last night to be a degree more respectable, but he definitely doesn't count on wearing them for long.

Sunlight streams through the tall windows and he absorbs details he couldn't even see last night, but, as smart as Luke's flat is, it can't compete with Alex's interest when he goes downstairs and finds the man of the house, himself.

"Morning," Luke calls out from in front of the stove, breaking into a huge smile at the sight of Alex. "I was going to bring you breakfast." He nods at a pan full of eggs. "Scrambled okay?"

"Sounds great," Alex answers, but of course in the next second the eggs are on their own – Alex cages Luke against the counter and kisses him thoroughly, burying his fingers in his lover's hair.

Luke moans into the kiss, dropping the turner onto the counter and wrapping his arms around Alex. The food completely forgotten for now.

Slipping one hand down Luke's bare back, Alex cups his lover's ass. Heat radiating through nothing but a tease of black pajama bottoms. "Are you sore?"

Luke nods. "Yes, but don't let that stop you," he says, reaching with one hand to turn down burners. "It's a good sore."

"A good sore?" Alex grins and nips at Luke's throat. "Tell me again what you said last night. About taking someone's fist inside you. You really want that?"

Luke blushes. Admitting that in bed, in the dark, in the throes of passion had been one thing, but here, in the clear light of day... Fuck. But Alex never made fun of him then. Never thought him a freak. "Yeah, I do. It's probably my biggest kink – after a big fat cock," he adds, eyes sparkling.

"Ahh, right, right. You mentioned something about assplay," Alex murmurs, and traces his fingertip over Luke's cheekbone. "Oh my god, are you actually blushing? I love it. Hey–" his mind skips subjects like a stretch of broken pavement, errant thoughts bubbling to prominence, "did you ever see anyone get punch-fucked? I saw a video of it somewhere. It looked really intense."

"That's something else I wouldn't mind trying," Luke admits, watching Alex, feeling almost drunk on his presence. "If I could ever get the fist thing down."

"Got to crawl before you can walk?" Alex licks into Luke's mouth. And he slips his hand between Luke's thighs, rubbing his hole through soft cotton. "I'm hungry."

Luke laughs and shakes his head, ignoring the way his cock kicks up at that touch. "Sit then," he orders, motioning at the table which is already set while he moves to fill their plates. "I think the real problem is that I haven't tried with someone I truly trust. I mean, it's not like I'm trying with these random people or strangers but it's not just a body thing, it's a head thing too, and so far, something's holding me back."

"Something... like your muscles, maybe?" Alex teases, but there's no real mockery in his voice. He folds his arms on the table next to his plate and leans forward, watching the graceful way Luke moves. "I'm amazed anyone can do it at all. How many fingers have you had inside you?" _Idle curiosity_ might not be the best tone for these intrusive questions of his, but Luke just sets him to wondering about things he's never spent much time considering.

"Four. Well five, with the thumb tucked in, but that's it. The widest part is where I get stuck," Luke says, setting their plates on the table. "How do you take your coffee?"

"Black. Sugar is for pussies. I can't believe you cooked all this, damn," Alex marvels, waiting for Luke to take his seat as well before he digs in. "What if you find out I'm on a restricted diet, or something? Only 800 calories a day."

"Then I'd have to help you burn it off," Luke responds with a smile.

"You've got an answer for everything, huh?" Alex asks, and grins as he helps himself to a double portion of bacon.

"Some things," Luke says, watching Alex eat. "I don't have an answer for how secret we have to be as secret boyfriends." He gives Alex a small smile. "Can we be seen together? Are we mates?"

The question actually gives Alex pause, and he sits back in his chair. "I've never been in this situation," he says after a long sip of coffee. "But, at the very least, why wouldn't we be seen together? I wouldn't blow off a friend who came out to me. I'm sure not going to pretend we're not mates."

"Good." Luke smiles, finally picking up a slice of bacon. "Because as much as I want us to fuck our brains out non-stop while we have the chance, I also have a lot of places I'd like to show you around London."

Alex swallows another mouthful of coffee. "Yeah, all I heard just then was something about us fucking each other's brains out," he confesses, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Was there anything else important in there?"

Luke laughs and tosses a balled-up napkin across the table, hitting Alex on the shoulder. "Were you always this bad?" he teases.

"Are you kidding?" Alex manages to look insulted. "I was so damn good you couldn't even forget me."

"Yes, you were," Luke agrees. "When I was cooking this morning, I actually went up to check and make sure you were still there, that I hadn't just dreamed it," he confesses, ducking his head a little, his plate suddenly a lot more interesting.

Alex just grins at him, totally charmed, and says softly, "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Luke looks at him and smiles back. "I can't believe no one's snatched you up," he says every bit as softly, wishing he'd contacted Alex years ago. But he knows he needs to stop doing that. Mourning time lost. Maybe neither of them was ready before this. "Idiots."

"I get snatched all the time," Alex jokes, and shrugs lightly. "It just never sticks. Fuck, that sounds bad. I didn't mean... I don't want to sound like an asshole." He sits forward, pushing his plate out of the way. "It's not like I'm a terrible fucking person to date – okay, maybe that is what I meant. But, just... I don't know. People just kind of pass through my life, do you know what I mean? I've never felt the kind of connection with any of them that I feel with you."

"Maybe that's why," Luke suggests. "You were waiting for me." He grins. "I do know what you mean though. Some of it's being an actor, some of it's moving around, some of it's just not meeting the person you _want_ to work for. It takes a lot to keep relationships going when you're on stage for eight shows a week or travelling all over the world. There has to be something really special there."

"...Yeah." For a long silent moment Alex simply watches Luke, a smile playing at his lips. "Something very special." He gets to his feet and begins clearing the table, stacking dirty dishes in the sink. "So, you said there's stuff you want to show me around town. Can we do that for a few hours, then come back here and spend the afternoon in bed?"

"I'd love that," Luke says, joining Alex at the sink. He leans up, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of Alex's mouth. "Just let me grab a shower."

"All right." Alex hooks his fingers into the waistband of Luke's pants, tugging him close for another kiss, longer this time. Then he lets him go and gets to work on scrubbing the greasy pans.

* * *

When Luke reappears, he's dressed in dark tight jeans and a light gray long-sleeved Henley. He runs a hand through his still slightly damp hair, performing a quick check in the mirror before he grins at Alex. "Ready?"

"Yeah, let me just..." Alex stops mid-sentence and simply stares. Luke is so fucking gorgeous, his every smile seductive... "Yeah, no. I'm ready," Alex says. Getting dressed was as simple as could be for him: all he's got are the clothes he wore to the premiere last night, and they were lying discarded on the downstairs floor already. "You... God, you are so fucking hot."

"Says the Viking god himself," Luke replies, blushing, but he's thrilled. He's grown so used to comments on his looks. It's been a long time since it meant anything. "Do you want to stop by your hotel? Grab some things? I should have said – you're welcome to go through my closet."

Alex huffs a laugh and shakes his head. "Luke, if we stay here one more minute, I can promise you that we won't be putting _on_ clothes." He unlocks the front door and opens it, gesturing his lover closer. "Let's go."

God. It's so tempting to dawdle but Luke laughs and scurries out the door, locking up behind them. "Before we go any further," he says, pushing the button for the lift, "I guess I should ask, one, whether there's anything you don't eat or are allergic to, and two, whether you're afraid of heights or anything like that?"

"I fear nothing," Alex declares grandly, then snickers. "Except, um, maggots. I can't fucking stand maggots, for real. Any of those wriggly white insect larva kind of things. Oh, I guess that answers both questions: I won't eat those either."

"Good. I promise not to feed them to you," Luke says with a shudder, holding the elevator open for Alex as it arrives. "You okay with taking the Tube?"

"I am," Alex answers, deliberately brushing against Luke when he steps inside the lift. "Although I can't promise I won't be hurt that you're not trying to impress me." He pouts.

Luke laughs. "I'll impress you later," he says. "Besides, you're the one with the big bucks, not me. At least not yet," he adds. "All my money's in my flat, and my clothes, although I do have a fair chunk saved."

Hands tucked in his pockets, Alex steps closer until he backs Luke against the wall. "Do you want me to treat you like a princess?" he asks softly, slowly licking over the livid bruise on Luke's throat. "Pamper you and whisk you away for luxurious holidays and shower you with diamonds?"

Luke whimpers, eyes rolling at the touch of Alex's tongue, but he shakes his head. "No, outside the bedroom, I want us to be equal," he whispers. "I want to be your partner, your lover, I want to take turns pampering each other."

Alex grins and kisses his mark. "I like the sound of that. So, where are we going first?"

"West End," Luke says, turning his head so he can kiss Alex back. "I'm going to show you where I've spent the last ten plus years."

"Awesome. And _maybe_ you'll sing for me?"

"Yes, but you realize I'll demand sexual favours in return," Luke says with a grin, leading Alex from the building.

"Oh, God help me," Alex exclaims, clutching his chest. "Work, work, work." He grins, deliberately falling into step behind Luke just so he can scope his ass in those skin-tight jeans.

"Pervert," Luke throws back, noting the move and giving Alex a grin as they head for the station, the sidewalks fairly quiet for this time of the morning.

There's no denying that accusation, so Alex doesn't even try. It's not long before they've boarded a train and he steadies himself against a center pole, just careful enough so that he's not actually touching Luke. But fuck, he wants to. "Were you doing shows every night each week, or what?"

"Mostly," Luke says, unable to take his eyes from Alex. "It depends on the theatre and the play, but the last few, it was eight performances a week and you spend so much time there before and after, you barely have a life outside."

Alex nods, and sways slightly as they hurtle into a tunnel. "Did you love it?"

Luke nods. "But I never thought I'd get the opportunity to do films."

"And now that you're in movies, which do you like better?" Alex asks, watching Luke's face. Thinking that he could never get tired of looking at him.

"I don't know," Luke answers truthfully with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I haven't been doing this long enough." He thinks about it for another second. "A lot of what I like is getting to do something so different from what I've been doing, but if you told me I wouldn't be on stage or get to sing again, I don't know." He laughs. "Ask me again in a couple of years."

Alex grins. "I will." The tube curves around a bend and he lurches against Luke, using the motion to cover for how he strokes his hand down his lover's back. Simply needing to touch him.

The touch is barely there, but Luke closes his eyes anyway, savouring it, grateful they're not completely off-limits to each other in public. "What about you? You have _True Blood_ but I know you do stuff on hiatus. What's up next?"

"At the end of this week, I head home to Sweden. I'm doing a film with Lars von Trier. My dad's in it, too," Alex says, barely containing his pride. "I'm really excited to work with them both."

"That sounds incredible," Luke says, wondering what it must be like to have a family interested in your work. Not only interested, but sharing in it. Where it's something bringing you together instead of pushing you apart. "What's the film?"

"It's about the end of the world." Alex huffs a laugh. "Sounds fun, right? But first, it's about a wedding. I'm marrying Kirsten Dunst. It's a really different role for me. Really different from myself, too."

"That's what I want to do," Luke says, nodding enthusiastically. "I don't want to get pigeon-holed into one type of role. I want to try everything."

"What's been your favorite one, so far? Movie or stage."

"I loved playing Chris in _Miss Saigon_ -– and Roger in _Rent_ , his songs sit really well in my voice, but I really like this character Andy I play in _Tamara Drewe_ which hasn't come out yet. It's based on this graphic novel which is a reworking of Hardy's _Far from the Madding Crowd_ , set in present day," Luke says, not sure whether Alex is familiar with any of Hardy's novels.

"Oh. Haven't read that one," Alex tells him with an apologetic shrug. "What makes Andy special to you?"

"You'll laugh," Luke says, shaking his head.

"I won't," Alex protests, but then reconsiders. "Okay, I have no idea if I'll laugh." He slips his finger through a beltloop on Luke's jeans. "But I want you to tell me anyway."

"He's a good guy. Decent, loving, hard-working, from a small town." Luke shrugs. "He's the biggest thing I've done so far in films and he's closer to me than any of the other characters I've played. I wouldn't want to only do roles like that, but it's been a nice change."

Alex quirks a brow, watching Luke closely. "Why would I laugh at that?" he asks, genuinely curious. "He sounds like someone who'd be easy to fall in love with." _Fucking hell, my mouth!_

Luke looks at Alex for a long moment then ducks his head a little. "I think so," he says softly, "but he's not a terribly fascinating character. Compared with all the gods and other roles I've been offered. He's just a handyman but he's honest, loyal."

Studying Luke in turn, Alex lets go Luke's beltloop but rests his hand for an instant on his lover's hip before pulling back, hands to himself once more. God, he wants to wrap up his lover in his arms and kiss him until that gorgeous smile comes back... "I can't wait to 'meet' him on the big screen," he says quietly, wondering if now he's made Luke uncomfortable.

"Thanks," Luke says, shifting slightly closer as the train rocks through the next tunnel. Wishing he was free to hold Alex's hand, give him a kiss. "Have you ever seen any musicals?"

"Yeah, of course. I saw _Hair, Tommy, Rent_... I wish I'd seen you as Roger," Alex grins.

"I wish you had too," Luke responds, grinning back and nudging still closer, their bodies brushing as the train sways. "But I'll make it up to you. Give you your own private show."

Heat flares in Alex's eyes and he struggles against the urge to grab Luke and kiss the hell out of him. "Are we almost there?"

"Two more stops," Luke promises, his knees going weak at the way Alex looks at him.

"Good." Alex's bracing grip on the pole tightens, and he lets his gaze travel slowly from the top of Luke's head all the long long way to his toes... and back up. And he gives Luke a knowing smirk.

"Keep looking at me like that," Luke says, leaning in to whisper in Alex's ear. "And we'll have to find a corner somewhere."

Alex's grin is nearly wolfish. "Are there any corners?" he asks, just as softly, taking advantage of the instant to nuzzle Luke's throat in a mere ghost of a caress.

Fuck. "I'm sure I can find one," Luke says softly, wishing his shirt was longer. "But are you really okay with taking that risk?" He is, but he doesn't have nearly the recognition Alex does.

Regarding him steadily, Alex gives the question due consideration. "I just need to kiss you," he murmurs. "If I can kiss you, then I might be able to restrain myself for another twenty minutes or so."

Luke almost whimpers at that. At need in Alex's voice. At those words. God. "Um. We're here," he says as they pull into their station. "Follow me and I'll find us that corner." Leading Alex through the crush of bodies. Outside, he takes a quick look at the street, makes a snap judgement and ducks into an alley behind the closest theatre.

Following closely – as if even incoming nukes could divert him from his path – Alex pretends like it's casual, all blissful ignorance and hands in pockets... But he's hot on Luke's heels, unwilling to even let his lover out of his view. When Luke stops in the alley Alex grabs him, slamming him against the brick and damn near violating his mouth with his tongue, grinding against him so that Luke can feel _exactly_ how much Alex wants him right now.

Holy shit. Luke's mind and body reel under the onslaught. And suddenly he feels like he's fourteen again, the way Alex plays him wiping out every other experience he's had in the years between. Hands grabbing Alex's shoulders, he holds on, surrendering completely, wishing for a moment that they'd never left his flat since he can't for the life of him figure out how he'll make it through the rest of the day like this.

"God, you–" Alex gasps, not even giving himself the time to complete his statement. Fuck, no – he's too busy crushing his lips against Luke's again and again, lust rushing through his veins until he feels like it'll set him afire. "No time," he grates out. "No time in history I wouldn't– wouldn't want you like this."

"I'm yours," Luke whispers fiercely in return, a voice in the back of his head screaming at him to shut the fuck up, that he'll scare Alex off. Ruin everything. "I've always been yours. Ever since that first night."

"Mine," Alex echoes in a growl. And maybe if he were actually thinking with his brain in this moment, then there might be some warning flares burning. But his physical needs overpower everything. "Fucking mine," he repeats, grabbing Luke's ass and yanking him in tight.

Oh god... "I want you inside me," Luke moans, grinding shamelessly against Alex.

The last shred of reasonable thought is crushed into nothingness by the motion of Luke's hips... "Can you sneak us into a theater?" Alex whispers, grinning like a fool.

"I was going to," Luke says, nodding, his brain muddled. "I can get us into most of them." Of course, he wasn't thinking along the lines they're thinking now but if it means Alex touching him more... he grabs Alex's hand and drags him towards the side entrance, which is always unlocked, ducking his head as they pass a few people just starting to set up for the day's performances, heading straight for the dressing rooms, which should be empty.

Their surroundings pass in a blur, looking to Alex like just any old backstage warren, any old green room... But then they're in a dressing room – empty by the looks of it – and the second he realizes it he throws the lock on the door. Then throws Luke against the door, covering him with his body and desperately moving against him.

"Wait," Luke blurts out, shifting just enough that he can pull open the nearest drawer and scramble through the contents for a jar of petroleum jelly. "Here."

Alex grins and swiftly unbuckles his own belt. "Turn around," he orders. "And tell me if you think you've got a good excuse not to scream here."

"Everyone'll come running if I do," Luke says, facing the door and unbuttoning his jeans. A shiver running through him at Alex's tone.

"Do we care?" Alex shoves his jeans to his knees and grabs Luke's hips, harshly yanking them back. He drags his finger through the jelly and rubs it against that tight hole, then quickly shoves it inside, close to losing it all just at how hot and welcoming Luke's body is. "Are we caring about that now?"

Luke cries out, thumping his forehead against the door. "I thought..." God. Already pushing back for more, his body on auto-pilot, determined to get what it wants. What it _needs_. "You're not out." 

"Fair point, but..." Alex grins mischievously, fucking three fingers into Luke and out. "I think we're literally in a closet right now."

Luke laughs, the sound strangled by a moan, his hole clamping down around those fingers, trying to pull them deeper, already aching for the feel of Alex's cock inside him. "Fuck me. Please," he whispers, giving up on worrying about anything but that.

"Have you ever been fucked in here?" Alex asks, loading more jelly onto his fingers and this time spreading them inside Luke, to stretch the path wider. His own cock brushes against Luke's thigh as he grits his teeth and hangs onto his patience when what he wants most is to slam deep inside.

"Not in here," Luke says, gasping with the stretch and struggling to keep his brain online. "My dressing room was down the hall."

Alex laughs, pulling away only to slick the rest of the petroleum jelly onto his cock, then spread Luke's cheeks apart with his thumbs. "Weren't there any gigantic cast orgies, things like that?" he asks, pushing just the head into his lover's tight hole, then grinding to a halt.

"A few, but not here," Luke moans, whimpering as Alex stops. "Parties."

Gritting his teeth, Alex slowly seats himself fully... and then stops again. "Aren't you just dying to tell me all the details?"

"No." Luke looks over his shoulder, shaking his head. "Not when you're fucking me."

Alex shoots him an impish grin. "Why? You got something better to do?" he asks, his tone daring his lover to fucking _take_ what he wants.

Luke stares at Alex for a moment, so fucking hard he could cut glass. "How can you do that?" he mutters in disbelief, pulling forward and then shoving back on Alex's cock. "Fuck me. Please!"

Alex laughs but finally quits joking around. He wraps one arm around Luke's middle, leveraging him for every deep thrust. Thrilled to know that Luke won't break even if he's rough. He closes his hand around his lover's cock, swiftly jacking him off.

"Oh god, fuck, yes, harder," Luke implores, nails scrabbling at the door as he tries to keep himself braced. It feels incredible and the idea that they could be caught, that someone _could_ hear them... He cries out, torn between Alex's hand and that gorgeous huge cock.

Fuck, yes. Alex dips his knees slightly and drives upwards, bottoming out inside Luke's body again and again and laughing breathlessly at how fucking _good_ it is.

"Yes, oh God, you feel so fucking good," Luke moans, moving into every thrust and stroke the best he can. "I love your cock. Fucking me open..."

"Oh, fuck – do it," Alex orders, teetering on the limit to his self-control, but needing Luke to climax first. "Come for me."

It doesn't take anything more than that. Just Alex telling him to do it and Luke's spraying the door with his seed, pleasure rioting through his entire body, his hole clenching around Alex's cock again and again.

Alex curses, yanked over the edge in an instant. He explodes into orgasm until he's blind with it.

Feeling like he's been struck by a freight train, Luke relaxes against Alex, trusting his lover to hold him. His head turned, seeking out a kiss.

"Christ," Alex mutters, covering his lover's mouth with his own. It's a long moment before he disentangles from Luke, grabbing some cleansing cloths from a packet on the make-up counter. "Stay there," he says quietly, and gently wipes his seed from Luke's skin, knowing that they've got some walking yet to do out in public.

"Thanks," Luke murmurs a little blearily, righting his clothes, his mind and body still reeling. He gives a soft laugh and shakes his head. "So much for just needing a kiss."

"I did need a kiss," Alex protests. He eyes Luke, his expression bland as he buckles his belt. "I might need another one, too. Later." 

Luke laughs. He was a little worried about them not being out but if it's like this? He steps forward and gives Alex another kiss. "That's one to tide you over," he says with a smile. "Now come on. I have something I want to show you."

"You can show me the world," Alex tells him, linking his fingers with Luke's and letting his lover lead him out to the boards by the main curtain.

"So, this is where I did _Rent_ ," Luke says with a smile, upending one of the empty cable cartons and gesturing for Alex to take a seat. "And this is probably my favorite song from the show." A light blush colouring his cheeks as he starts,

_One song glory, one song before I go  
Glory, one song to leave behind  
Find one song, one last refrain  
Glory, from the pretty boy front man_

_Who wasted opportunity  
One song, he had the world at his feet  
Glory, in the eyes of a young girl  
A young girl, find glory_

_Beyond the cheap colored lights  
One song, before the sun sets  
Glory, on another empty life_

_Time flies, time dies  
Glory, one blaze of glory  
One blaze of glory, glory_

_Find glory in a song that rings truth  
Truth like a blazing fire, an eternal flame  
Find, one song, a song about love  
Glory, from the soul of a young man_

_A young man, find the one song  
Before the virus takes hold  
Glory, like a sunset  
One song to redeem this empty life_

_Time flies and then  
No need to endure anymore  
Time dies_

Luke's voice is stunning, golden and passionate as the lyrics seem to spill effortlessly from his lips, and the singer himself is mesmerizing. Alex simply watches, enchanted, letting the song sweep his fevered imagination back to the beginning – when Luke had so much talent and potential waiting to be revealed, and Alex wasn't even aware of it. Back when he was likewise mesmerized, regardless.

The song trails from one brilliant last note, and Alex becomes aware of the audience Luke has attracted only a second before they join him in applause. It seems like the day crew and actors literally come out of the woodwork, emerging from curtains and scaffolding to surround Luke, excitedly praising and congratulating him.

"Thanks," Luke says, shaking hands and doling out hugs to those he knows as he's mobbed. This was what he'd been hoping to avoid but it feels good nonetheless and he makes some quick introductions, everyone freaking out over meeting Alex. A real star. Finally, he wishes them all the best and promises he'll be back soon for a performance. "Sorry," he says softly as they make their way from the theatre. "I wasn't really expecting everyone to be there yet."

Sunlight outlines the exit just ahead of them, and Alex seizes the chance to grab Luke, pushing him against the matte black wall of the unlit path. "You're amazing," he whispers, kissing his lover once and then again. Unable to resist. "That was beautiful, thank you."

Luke smiles. "I was going to take you to the other theatres, sing you songs from all my shows, but maybe I should quit while I'm ahead," he says, kissing Alex, his lover's reaction more than he'd ever hoped for.

Alex grins back. "Maybe you can point the places out to me as we pass, and tell me about the shows you did there." He slips his arms around Luke's waist. "Then give me a private serenade tonight when we get back to your flat."

Luke laughs. "I can do that," he says, leaning in against Alex. God. He'd been so prepared to come out and keep his hands to himself all day. Had never imagined in his wildest dreams they would've just fucked in one of the dressing rooms at the Duke of York.

* * *

"Wait, _how_ old were you when you did _La Cava_?" Alex tilts his head back to read the theatre marquee, stepping out of the way of a passerby so that he's not blocking the footpath.

"Twenty," Luke says with a smile. "It was my first job. I was in my third year at college, and we'd just done a showcase for prospective agents. I'd been signed and the following week, my agent called me up Wednesday night saying she had me my first audition the next morning. So I went and sang Thursday morning, Friday I got the job and Monday I started work."

"That's incredible," Alex marvels, turning for a moment to grin at his lover. God, it just feels good to simply be with Luke, a comfortable vibe he doesn't usually settle into so quickly. "I mean, you know what I was doing when I was twenty," he chuckles. "Nothing nearly as impressive."

"I don't know. I'm not sure I could have handled military service at that age," Luke says, unable to stop smiling. He's just so happy. "What was it like?"

Alex shrugs. "Dull, most of the time. I did get to lead an actual night rescue of some stranded civilian sailors once. That was cool. But the rest of the time..." He laughs again. "It was mainly just a lot of oversexed guys telling the same dick jokes over and over. Were you scared?"

"With _La Cava_? Terrified." Luke laughs at the memory. "But they were fantastic. Everyone was so patient and kind. They were my first real musical theatre family."

"That's great that they were good to you," Alex murmurs. "I did some theatre before and after the Navy, and my castmates tended to have pretty extreme reactions to me. Either they were too nice and didn't criticize me when they should've, or they were real assholes because they thought I got the job when I didn't really earn it."

"Because of your dad?" Luke clarifies.

"Pretty much, yeah. But they were probably right not to put their faith in me," Alex confides with a rueful grin. "I mean, I had no formal training, so I guess I was like the unexploded grenade. I had acted on TV as a kid and I had a big name, but no one was sure they could trust me to have solid skills." Turning his back on the theater, he leans against the wall, giving in to the urge to just watch Luke. "Tell me about when you came out. How did that go?"

"In London, or to my parents?" Luke asks, shoving his hands in his pockets so he doesn't give in to the temptation to keep touching Alex.

"To your parents, I mean," Alex clarifies, recalling when Luke told him his parents were strictly religious. "Or... Did you?"

"I did," Luke confirms. "When I was sixteen. They were both pretty good about it but of course they like to believe I'm not being active."

"I think a lot of parents probably don't want to think about their kids having sex," Alex says, straightening from his slouch and stepping up so he's toe to toe with his lover. "But, do you regret it? Telling them?"

It's not that simple, Luke thinks. In his case, if his parents knew he was sexually active without a doubt, they'd have to shun him. But the last thing he feels like right now is taking about the ins and outs of being a Witness, something he's gratefully left behind. "Yes and no," he settles on. "It's made things harder between me and my dad and I know they're disappointed, but I hate not being who I am. This whole PR thing?" He just shakes his head.

"Yeah, that really sucks. After building up all that courage to come out in the first place..." As if casually – but of course, it never is – Alex trails his fingers over the back of Luke's hand, and to hell with any nosy passersby. "Can you say no?"

Luke glances at their hands then smiles at Alex. "I could, but they think I've got a real chance at being a leading man – which will apparently disappear if audiences know I'm gay." He lets their fingers brush together then nods for them to continue their walk. "There's lots of actors coming out now but they're all on the telly or doing character stuff and I wouldn't mind doing any of that eventually but my agent says that this, right now, is my opportunity to be the next Bond or head up my own franchise and as much as I hate ducking back into the fucking closet, I really want to see what's possible."

Alex considers him sidelong as they walk, falling into an easy rhythm. "You'd make an awesome Bond. The best one since Dalton," he says. Wanting so much to stop Luke again and show him exactly how much the idea turns him on. "Do you think they'll set you up with a beard?"

"I don't know, but we already talked about that, didn't we?" Luke points out, Alex's words of the night before coming back to him: _Even if I can only be your boyfriend in secret, then there'd better not be any pretend girlfriends hanging on you in public._

"Yeah." Alex grins, but at least he's got the grace to look sheepish. Just a little. "You remembered. Thank you."

"I do sometimes take female friends to premieres and parties, but I promise there won't be any talk of dates or anyone hanging off me," Luke says. "What about you though?"

Alex shrugs. "I tend to try and keep a low profile anyway, just because the gossip pisses me off. But, tell me what you want." He's surprised to find he's actually enjoying this give-and-take between them, like Luke is truly investing in a relationship with him.

"Are we going to be exclusive?" Luke asks. He might as well put it out there. "I'm assuming yes, but I don't know if you have a different idea, and I'm not set on it, but I do expect honesty."

His steps falter, then slow. And then Alex stops altogether, to give the question his full attention. "I don't know," he says after a thoughtful moment. "How long-distance do you think this is going to be? I mean, are we talking weeks between seeing each other? Months?" He's sure that no one else can satisfy him quite like Luke can, not anymore, but the thought of just cutting sex out of his life for extended periods of time makes him nervous. "Do you want to have a fuckbuddy, or something?"

"I'm hoping only weeks," Luke says, his stomach flipping hard at the thought of Alex with someone else. "I don't mind flying and I've been known to hop the pond – or even further – just for a weekend. I don't know. I..." He shrugs and glances away, trying to force himself to be realistic, to follow through on what he said. Honesty.

Alex watches his lover closely, studying his expressions and body language. "Okay, let me rephrase that," he murmurs. "What I should have said is that I'm not good with us going for weeks apart. I know sometimes it might just be impossible because of our work schedules, but I need to see you more often than that."

Luke nods. "I want to be okay with us being open if you need that, but right now, the thought of you being with anyone else... I just hate it," he admits. "So I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make sure we're together and we're able to hook up as often as possible and then we can talk about this again if we need to. Is that okay?" He smiles. "And no girls hanging off you either."

"...Okay, there are some things in Nature that I simply can't control," Alex says after a beat, as earnest as can be. But then a typically mischievous grin leaks out. "Even in spite of your PR team, do I need to worry about men constantly hitting on you? Because, like, there's flirting... and then there's _flirting_." He's certainly done enough of both to well aware of how huge the distinction there is.

"You don't need to worry about it," Luke grins, "but yes, there's a lot of that. I know how to shut them down though."

"Really?" Alex lays his hand on the small of Luke's back as if he's doing nothing but guiding his mate out of the flow of foot traffic; that his touch lingers a bit longer than necessary is nobody's business but their own. "Show me."

"Now?" But Luke doesn't wait for an answer. Simply deftly sidesteps that touch, moving into his own space again with a small smile and shake of his head that would convey to anyone else he's not interested. "And if they don't touch me but they're coming on strong, I just say I'm not interested. Polite but honest."

"Yeah, but do I believe you?" Alex asks, shifting his weight so that he's almost caging Luke against a shop's brick wall. "I mean, I've seen the way you watch me," he says softly, looking straight into Luke's eyes and all but pinning him with his gaze. 

"This isn't fair," Luke says with a laugh. "I _want_ you. Besides, do you really want me to hurt you?" Fuck. He steels himself. "You're imagining things, mate. Not interested and you're violating my personal space."

 _Hurt me?_ Is Luke serious? Alex shakes off the idle curiosity and smirks a little. "I could violate you a lot more. A lot better, too."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Luke gives Alex a sheer look of disgust. Careful to keep his voice low, always wary of the people around them. "If I wasn't interested before, you just made yourself the last person on Earth I'd fuck. Now back off before I punch you."

Alex watches him in speculation for a couple more seconds. Then he cracks a grin, subtly backing off so that Luke knows he's not playing anymore. "It's so fucking wrong that you just got me really hot. I know it's wrong."

Luke just shakes his head. "You're awful," he says, pushing at Alex, unable to stop laughing. "Which part? My threatening you?"

"I don't know. Your intensity, I think," Alex confesses. "It was just so fucking hot to have all your focus on me." And god, it's so damn hard to not give in to the urge and kiss Luke when he smiles like that.

"Sounds like we should wind up our tour," Luke suggests, nudging their shoulders together, a warmth that's not just arousal flushing through him. "You could have all my focus on you back at my place."

"Mmm. I like that idea, but... I'm pretty sure I promised _you_ my sole attention this evening." Alex's grin flashes again. "I just might consider it a victory if I can totally shatter your focus." Hell, he certainly intends to make it happen if he can.

That grin. God. Luke just stares at Alex for a moment. "Are you hungry then?" he asks, when he can make his brain work again. "Dinner first, or should we order in later?"

"I'm always hungry," Alex answers, "so let's ring for something later."

* * *

"You mentioned something about real, authentic handcuffs," Alex prompts. The tube ride back to Luke's place seemed interminable, and he's itching to get his hands – and mouth – on his lover's naked body. Enough that his impatience might just interfere with his plans if he doesn't have Luke bound to his bed very, very soon.

Luke nods. "They're upstairs," he says, locking up. "Do you want me to get them?"

"I'll come with you."

"Okay." Luke grins and backs up the stairs, already tugging his Henley over his head.

Alex has to laugh at the playful vibe. Heat flares in his eyes and he follows Luke upstairs, one careful deliberate step at a time. His cock swells heavy with demand but he chides himself to ignore it. For now.

When Luke reaches the top of the stairs, he tosses his shirt to the side and unzips his jeans, leaving the sides open as he goes to the dresser. He crouches down, pulling the bottom drawer open and picks out a set of cuffs which he offers to Alex. "Anything else?"

"Hmm." Alex steps up behind and threads his fingers through his lover's hair, pulling Luke's head back against him while he casually surveys the drawer. "I don't know, do you have a screwdriver?"

Luke swallows hard, his cock swelling at the feel of Alex behind him. "Downstairs. I can grab it."

Alex laughs softly, and gives Luke a gentle nudge with his knee. "I was kidding. Just because it looks like you've got the rest of the hardware shop in there. Nah," he decides, releasing Luke and stepping away to pull off his own shirt. "Go ahead and leave the drawer open in case I change my mind."

Luke blushes. It's a reminder that as right as things feel, he still doesn't know Alex well enough to always know when he's teasing. He rocks to his feet. "How do you want me?" he asks, pushing his jeans down over his hips.

"On your front," Alex replies. "I'm going to cuff only one of your wrists so you can turn over when I want you to. Unless that'll lessen the experience for you?" He watches Luke as he drops his jeans, then wraps his own cock in a simple leather ring.

Luke knows he should move. Should already be stretching out on the bed, but holy fuck... the ring? Around that huge cock? That can only mean one thing. That Alex intends to torment him for a very long time. A realization that sends a shiver right through him. "Yes, sir," he says finally, quietly, climbing onto the bed.

The soft words twist something up in Alex's core, and he waits for the space of a breath before he fits one of the cuffs around Luke's left wrist. There's a baffled moment while he checks out the bedframe, but when he looks closely he notices... yep, the edge of an under-bed restraint. _Shit_ , he thinks. Luke is really into this. Which means Alex needs to pay better attention all around.

Luke bites at his lip as Alex restrains him, his cock a hard aching ridge pressed between the bed and his stomach. He has no idea what to expect, what Alex _really_ likes beyond what they've done, but he can hardly wait to find out.

The mattress shifts under Alex's weight as he kneels on the bed, straddling his lover's thighs. "Do you spend a lot of time in the gym?" he asks, lightly tracing along smooth lines of muscle on Luke's back.

Another shiver and Luke nods, loving the feel of Alex's weight on him, pinning him. "A fair amount. I got into the habit after shooting the remake for _Clash of the Titans_. They had me working with a trainer."

The corner of Alex's mouth kicks up. "Yeah, I think you mentioned something about being cast as a god. For that one? I can't wait to see it." Lightly moving both hands now, over Luke's shoulders and up his arms. "For some reason I never get those roles. They always cast me as the bad guy," he continues. Pausing to caress the delicate bones of Luke's inner wrist, contrast of soft skin against the cold steel of the handcuff. Then Alex takes his lover's right hand and lifts it to his mouth.

"The bad guy everyone loves," Luke corrects, gasping softly as Alex's tongue touches his skin. "Oh, god..."

Alex glances at his lover's face at that, then licks another slow line along Luke's palm. "I'm not convinced that Eric Northman is quite as badass as he pretends to be," he murmurs in a conversational tone. "I think he's got a problem with believing his own hype." So saying, he sucks Luke's index finger into his mouth.

Luke moans. God. Alex's mouth... "He's got a soft spot for a few people," he whispers, when he can. "Would do anything for those he considers his."

"That's true," Alex replies, grinning. "He's just really really particular about who those people are," he adds. "And anyone else? Can't give a fuck." He devotes attention to Luke's fingers as well, slowly licking each in turn.

"Oh, god..." Luke groans, his cock responding to each and every swipe of Alex's tongue. "You're doing it again."

Alex's brow furrows, and he lifts his head in dismay. "...What?"

"Talking and actually making sense while you're scrambling my brain," Luke says, although it's far from a complaint. It's just not something he's good at and never has been. Especially when it's Alex.

That gets a chuckle, and a nip of Luke's wrist. "You made sense just then."

"Only using every bit of my willpower," Luke insists, but he's laughing too.

With a grin Alex sits back, then braces his hands on either side of Luke. Dipping his head he laps at the very top of the cleft between Luke's ass cheeks, then licks all the way up his spine.

Breath catching in his throat, Luke shivers hard, wrist yanking at the cuff, the feeling of being bound, pinned, by metal and weight, spurring his arousal.

Thrilled with his lover's responses, Alex leans down to whisper in Luke's ear. "I'm still looking for the sweet spot," he says, and shifts his weight to permit himself a moment of bittersweet self-gratification – rubbing his ringed cock against Luke's ass.

Luke whimpers, hole fluttering needfully at the tease, and the sound he makes next, when Alex starts again at the top of his thigh, mouth moving over his skin, is something he's not sure he's ever heard himself make before. "Oh, fuck," he blurts out, cock dampening the sheets beneath him.

Alex slides his hands along Luke's body as he moves, dipping down to lick at the back of one knee, then moving to his other leg and sucking the soft flesh of his thigh, just beneath the curve of his ass.

Softly keening, Luke jerks against the bed, the touch so bloody simple but so fucking good it's already driving him out of his mind. Alex wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to take hours to learn Luke's naked body.

Abruptly Alex lifts his head. "Do you have any Massive Attack? Glitch Mob, that kind of thing?"

What? Luke's brain is molasses, the meaning behind the words filtering through so slowly all he can do is stare over his shoulder at Alex for a moment. "Um. Yeah. On my iPod."

"Cool." Like there's nothing else pressing for his attention right now, Alex hops off the bed and goes to the setup on Luke's dresser. He opens iTunes and scrolls through his options, looking for something in particular... "Perfect," he declares, as the ponderous bassline of Massive Attack's "Angel" begins playing. He adjusts the volume, then gets back on the bed. "Knees up," he orders softly, "thighs spread."

Jesus. Luke turns his head, watching Alex, aching for his lover. Knowing it's just part of the torment, but still. He shifts into position when ordered though, his stomach flipping hard again as the bed sinks with Alex's weight. _Yes._ His knees pulled up under him, his thighs spread as wide as he can get them.

Now Alex doesn't linger; he goes right for the gold. Spreading Luke's cheeks, he takes a long lazy lick of his lover's hole.

Luke jerks like he's been electrocuted, his cock spurting a blob of precome against his belly. He moans then pushes back, begging for more.

And Alex obliges. He presses his thumbs against the sensitive area just behind Luke's balls, rubbing gently. And he licks, getting that tiny hole so wet it's slippery before he points his tongue and pushes just the tip inside.

"Oh, god," Luke moans, shortly reduced to babbling, his whole body on fire, lit from the inside, from that spot, from where Alex's tongue is touching him again and again. "Please!"

"You want more?" Alex growls, snaking his hand beneath his lover to close tightly around his cock.

Luke wails and nods, fucking his cock into Alex's grip. Or at least trying to. "Please!" he begs again.

 _Fuck!_ Alex barely has the presence of mind to start jerking Luke off, tongue-fucking him now.

Luke feels like he's going out of his mind, Alex's tongue so deep inside him, fucking his hole open, sloppy and wet, his hand rough, demanding, and he cries out, trying to hold on, hold out, make Alex proud of him, but he– oh god, he can't and he wails again, his orgasm slamming through him, body jerking as he comes, cock spurting between his thighs again and again.

The smile on Alex's face is so damn smug, he could rightly be slapped. But goddamn that was fucking awesome. He helps Luke roll to his back and kisses him deeply, sharing his lover's flavor. "You," he murmurs, still grinning like a fool, "you are fucking gorgeous when you come."

"And you're evil," Luke murmurs back, but he's smiling. "Pushing all my buttons." So much for any self-control.

"Just learning where the buttons are," Alex says, pleased with Luke's smile. He kneels up and nudges his bound cock against his lover's hip. "Do you think you can take this ring off me one-handed?"

"Mm. I can certainly try," Luke says, taking the opportunity to wrap his fingers around that oh-so-solid flesh and give it a stroke, his eyes locked on Alex's face.

Alex can't quite swallow his groan of pleasure. He watches Luke, watches his hand. Then he simply gives up and surrenders to sensation, overwhelmed with how good it feels. "Now," he whispers after a long moment, and drags his eyes back open. "Or I'm going to lose it. Do it now."

But what if he wants Alex to lose it? Fuck. Luke nods, wide-eyed, and unsnaps the leather.

Alex's mouth quirks up in a grin, and he shifts to straddle Luke's shoulders, letting the head of his cock just rest on those beautiful lips. "Take me in," he orders quietly, splaying his hands against the wall. "All of me."

Moaning softly, Luke opens his mouth, flickering his tongue over the crown and into the slit. God. He's dreamt about this so many times. Wasn't sure he'd ever get this chance. He slides his free hand to Alex's ass, groping one cheek as he takes him deeper, licking and sucking and grazing his teeth lightly over every inch.

"Good," Alex whispers. He looks down the length of his body to stare at Luke, the look on his lover's face nearly as arousing as his touch. He rocks his hips, pushing his cock deeper and wondering just how much Luke will take.

Luke whimpers around his mouthful, struggling to relax his throat muscles completely. He wants this though, a fact underscored by his grip on Alex's ass, on the way he urges him on. _Fuck my mouth. Use me. I'm yours._

"Inside me," Alex gasps, Luke's fingers _so close_ but still teasing. He drops one hand to tangle in Luke's short hair. "I want all of you."

Cock giving a violent twitch at the words, Luke brings his hand to his mouth, slipping his fingers in alongside Alex's cock. Good and wet, he slips them back between Alex's cheeks, rubbing over that pucker for only a moment before he slowly pushes the first inside.

"Oh fuck yes." The words come out all slurred and it's good, so good... Alex bucks his hips, his muscles clenching Luke's finger tight in the instant before _everything_ clenches up. He shoves deeper into his lover's throat and empties himself with a shout.

Moaning as he struggles to swallow every last drop, Luke chokes a little but doesn't lose anything, his cock jerking as Alex's body clamps down around his finger, his body so hot, so tight. Which makes Luke wonder whether Alex _ever_ bottoms, another thing they've never talked about.

For the first few seconds, Alex can only ease back the bare minimum to make sure Luke can breathe. But then he damn near melts onto the bed, ignoring the cuff for the moment in favor of kissing the hell out of his lover.

"Mm. I always wanted to do that," Luke whispers, smiling.

Alex quirks an eyebrow, a bit bemused. "You've never done that before?"

Luke swats him with his free hand. "Suck you off," he says, rolling his eyes and laughing. "I've always wanted to give you a blow job. I kind of regretted that I didn't get to then but I also didn't think I'd get another chance."

"No, I meant– forget it," Alex says with a laugh. He reaches over and unhooks the cuff from its D-ring, then props his chin in his hand and grins down at his lover. "I should tell you... This is going to sound really fucking wrong. Let me just admit that up front," he says, laughing again. "You had the prettiest mouth when you were fourteen. I barely kept my shit together, that first night when you offered to blow me."

Luke laughs. "I had the prettiest _everything_ when I was fourteen," he says with a sigh. "I don't blame you. But you were good to me. I was a really stupid reckless kid and I'm just lucky you're the one I picked up."

"That's the truth," Alex says, his expression sober now. "I agonized about that. When I was eight billion miles away and couldn't do a damn thing about it, I would start thinking about you, worrying about all the trouble you might be getting into, how vulnerable you were."

"You tided me over," Luke tells him. "I was a lot more careful because of you, at least until I got to London. But I was older then so..." he shrugs a little, not all his early experiences of the big city were good ones.

Alex's eyes narrow at that, and he reaches to tenderly brush a lock of hair back from Luke's temple. But he doesn't ask. Not now. He grins instead. "I'll tell you something else. Yeah, you were pretty then. But now? You have grown into sexiness of nightmarish proportions."

Luke blushes. He can't help himself. And it's on his lips to protest, to demure, but knowing Alex thinks so? God. It means everything to him. "And you're still the hottest guy I've ever seen," he says softly.

"Ever? Still?" Alex's eyes take on a mischievous sparkle. "I don't believe you." He kind of does believe him, though. That's the kicker.

"You should," Luke says, touching Alex's cheek. "No one's ever made me feel the way you do. When I saw you in the youth centre? It was the same as when I saw you last night. It was like I stopped breathing."

Alex's gaze softens, revealing the vulnerability that seems to grow every time he and Luke touch. "This is it," he whispers, and he's startled to hear that he admitted it out loud. But once he's begun, he might as well keep going. Because something inside him has shifted, in a way he's dead certain is permanent. "Do you feel that?"

Luke nods. "People are going to think we're crazy, but I don't care," he whispers, leaning in to kiss Alex.

Alex kisses him back. And for once he lets himself be stripped emotionally. He pours his feelings into the kiss, wrapping Luke in a hug and telling him without words that what he feels is about so much more than just sexual desire.

"We're doing this backwards," Luke says with a soft laugh when they break for breath, snuggling in closer than close. "What's your favourite colour? Favourite food? What habit annoys you the most?"

"Fresh cod, but I mean _fresh_ , or just don't bother. A gorgeous almost-bloody 22 ounce side of beef. And red," Alex answers with a soft laugh, gently petting Luke's hair for the pure pleasure of it. "Now you, plus one of your most favorite songs."

"Blue and chocolate. Dark's my favourite but anything will do in a pinch." Luke laughs again. "Rudeness and – right now or always? The song, I mean."

"Rudeness really bugs you, huh? I'll keep that in mind," Alex says, and breathes a kiss onto his lover's lips. "Me, I can't stand when someone just won't take a hint. So, either they're totally obnoxious or just really stupid, but either way... And yeah, I mean, like, one of your all-time solid favorite songs."

"You'll laugh," Luke says, but he confesses anyway. "Roberta Flack. 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.' You?"

Shaking his head, Alex grins a little crookedly. "You're always saying I'm going to laugh at you. I don't know why." He sighs, thinking. "My song... Okay, now _you_ might laugh," he says. "But I've always loved the song 'The Sixteens' by Sweet. You know, 'But life goes on, you know it ain't easy,'" he sings softly. "'But life goes on...' Will you sing that Roberta Flack song for me?"

"Now?" Luke asks. "You haven't had enough of me singing today?"

"Nope. I definitely haven't," Alex tells his lover. He traces his fingertip around the shape of Luke's mouth. "But you sang those songs earlier for me. Now I want you to sing this one _to_ me."

"Okay." Luke blushes a little. "But I need to sit up." He does, sitting cross-legged and pulling the sheets into his lap a little. Clears his throat.

_The first time ever I saw your face  
I thought the sun rose in your eyes  
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave  
To the dark and the endless skies, my love  
To the dark and the endless skies_

Lying on his side, braced on one arm and looking up at his lover, Alex basks in the performance for one. And it stuns him. The words Luke sings could have been written specially for the two of them.

_I felt your heart so close to mine  
And I knew our joy would fill the earth  
And last till the end of time_

Even more than the words, though, is the naked emotion in Luke's voice, telling Alex he actually means each word he recites. When the last note trails softly away, Alex sits up in a flash and grabs Luke – taking his face in his hands and kissing his lover with all he's feeling. And he knows that yeah, what he said earlier...? This is definitely it. He's already desperately in love with Luke, and there's no turning away from it.

Alex's response is everything Luke could have hoped for and his heart swells, chest going tight with the kiss. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake and this is all just going to have been a dream," he whispers.

A grateful smile spreads across Alex's face, bright as could be. "Then we just won't wake up," he promises, and kisses his lover again.


End file.
